In hospitality, delivering a memorable guest experience is non-negotiable. You’ve trained your staff, refined your services, and invested heavily in creating a welcoming atmosphere. But what if potential guests are rejecting your hotel before they even check in—or worse, before they even consider you?
This silent rejection has a name: brand avoidance. And it’s more common than you think.
What is Brand Avoidance—And Why Should You Care?
Brand avoidance happens when potential guests deliberately skip over your hotel, even if you’re a viable option. It’s not always about bad service or outdated amenities—sometimes it’s about how your hotel makes them feel, or rather, doesn’t.
The effects of brand avoidance are painful:
Low direct bookings
Declining occupancy and ADR
Unfavorable online reviews
Poor performance against your compset
In a marketplace overflowing with choices, brand perception matters more than ever. Travelers don’t just want a place to sleep—they want a brand they can believe in.
What Triggers Brand Avoidance?
The most common causes include:
Outdated Visual Identity: If your hotel’s brand looks dull, cheap, or stuck in a past decade, it silently communicates that your guest experience may be the same.
Misaligned Messaging: Overpromising and underdelivering is a quick way to erode trust.
Polarizing Values: Being bold about your political or social views? That’s fine—but be prepared for pushback from guests who don’t share them.
Lack of Clear Value: If travelers don’t immediately understand why your hotel is worth booking, they’ll scroll on by.
Worse still, if your marketing feels disconnected from your actual guest experience, you’re not just failing to attract—you’re actively repelling.
Is Your Hotel Suffering From Brand Avoidance?
Here are a few warning signs to look out for:
Underperformance vs. Competitors: Are your occupancy rates and ADR consistently below your compset despite having similar amenities?
Inconsistent Reviews: Do guests often express surprise—good or bad—once they arrive? That’s a sign of misaligned branding.
Booking Drop-offs: Are you getting site visits but not bookings? Something is turning people off during their research phase.
These aren’t just isolated issues—they point to a brand that lacks clarity, trust, or emotional connection.
Turning Things Around: How to Reinvent Your Hotel Brand
Here’s how to shift perceptions and draw guests in:
1. Reassess Your Brand Identity
Is your current branding still working? Ask:
Does your logo, color palette, and messaging feel fresh and competitive?
Is your website mobile-friendly, emotionally engaging, and aligned with guest expectations?
2. Know Your Ideal Guest
You can’t be everything to everyone. Define:
Who your core audience is (age, lifestyle, travel behavior)
What they truly value (eco-conscious travel? tech-savvy service? luxury touches?)
3. Align Guest Experience with Guest Expectations
The brand promise must match the guest experience. If your visuals say “luxury” but your check-in process says “budget,” you’re setting yourself up for negative reviews—and brand avoidance.
4. Gather Insight Directly From Guests
Ask the right questions:
Why did you choose us?
What could we have done better?
Would you book with us again—or recommend us to others?
These insights are branding gold.
5. Be Consistent, Not Perfect
Perfection isn’t the goal—consistency is. Your brand should feel the same across all touchpoints: website, signage, social media, lobby, room experience, and guest service.
Branding Is Not Optional
Many hotels treat branding as an afterthought—something nice to have rather than business-critical. That mindset is costly. In some cases, lack of brand clarity has led to closures and franchise revocations.
At Brandsmith, we believe your brand is your most valuable asset. It’s what builds trust, inspires loyalty, and drives revenue. The most successful hospitality brands in the world obsess over perception—and so should you.
If you’re not actively managing your hotel’s brand, then your brand is managing you—and possibly pushing guests away.
Need help identifying brand gaps or refreshing your hotel identity?
Let’s talk. Brandsmith specializes in building hospitality brands that win trust and grow bookings—before your guests ever set foot in the lobby.
